A few days later, in the main courtyard of the Xu residence.
Seeing Xianglan rush in covered in sweat, Xu Fan, who had been lounging on a rattan recliner preparing for a nap, yawned and lazily asked with a bit of confusion, “Hey, Xianglan, what’s up with you lately? You’ve been acting all jittery and restless. Always going in and out—you’re making me dizzy just watching.”
He grew interested and waved her over to sit, “What is it? Did something happen recently?”
A flicker of struggle passed through Xianglan’s eyes at his question, but she still sat beside him and sighed, “It’s about Uncle Li…”
Xu Fan, don’t blame me. According to the plan, I must first smear Ji Hanyue’s reputation to make you truly resent her deep down. Only then will Lord He fully trust you and assign you a key role. That’s also the only way our small household can remain safe and stable.
Xu Fan had no idea what she was thinking, so when he heard that, he was momentarily stunned.
Xianglan had mentioned before that Uncle Li was a distant relative of hers who also lived in Chiba City. He was supposedly a cultivator in his younger days. But for some unknown reason, his cultivation suddenly disappeared overnight, reducing him to a mortal. He had no choice but to return to Chiba City and work as a carpenter to survive. Life was tough.
Thinking of this, Xu Fan frowned slightly and said thoughtfully, “Xianglan, didn’t we already help Uncle Li out a few days ago? Did something else happen?”
Xianglan gave a bitter smile and shook her head, “Uncle Li has a big family to feed—elders and children alike. That bit of help we gave was like trying to put out a fire with a cup of water.”
Hearing this, Xu Fan sighed lightly and reclined back on the chair, lamenting, “Uncle Li was a cultivator back then. His life should’ve gone uphill. Yet now, because of some accident, he’s ended up in a situation where even making a living is hard.”
Memories of similar experiences from past lives flickered through his mind, and his eyes half-closed as he muttered, “Life is full of fate’s twists… so little is within our control…”
But this time, Xianglan unexpectedly interrupted him. Her tone even held a trace of blame, “Xu Fan, if it were any other matter, saying that would be fine. But how can you say that about Uncle Li?”
Xu Fan was caught off guard and blinked in confusion, scratching his head, “What? Did I say something wrong?”
Xianglan bit her lip, her tone carrying faint resentment, “Uncle Li’s misfortune wasn’t an accident. It was intentional!”
“Decades ago, he was merely passing by the Pingchuan Mountains and happened to glance toward the sky in the direction of a high-level cultivator. That person destroyed his dantian and meridians on the spot with a powerful technique, leaving him crippled ever since!”
Xu Fan’s expression shifted to shock, his brow furrowed, “Just for looking? And that high-level cultivator ruined him like that?”
“Who would be so heartless? Was it a demonic cultivator?”
But when Xu Fan pressed further, Xianglan fell silent. She only sighed repeatedly as though she were hiding something she couldn’t speak of.
If she hadn’t reacted like this, Xu Fan might’ve lost interest and dropped the subject. But her reluctance only made him more curious, like a feather was tickling his heart. He couldn’t rest without answers.
Finally, under Xu Fan’s persistent questioning, Xianglan deliberately sighed deeply and said gloomily, “The one who did such a cruel thing… was your former master, Ji Hanyue!”
She had already seen the conversation between Xianglan and He Jin earlier, so she knew what they were scheming. But what she didn’t expect was that these two were despicable enough to fabricate such baseless lies just to ruin her image in Xu Fan’s heart!
Her face darkened with a chill sharp enough to freeze water. Killing intent surged in her cold, beautiful eyes, but she didn’t act right away. Instead, she turned to silently observe Xu Fan’s reaction.
Fan’er… will you always trust your master without wavering?
Fortunately, Xu Fan didn’t disappoint her.
His pupils shrank, and his expression turned utterly shocked as he instinctively refuted, “Impossible! Master would never do something so vile!”
Ji Hanyue’s body paused slightly, her expression relaxing. The corner of her lips curved gently, and she muttered, “So you still have a bit of conscience…”
“Fine then. I’ll stay a while longer and see what tricks this shameless vixen plans next.”
With her low cultivation, Xianglan had no idea Ji Hanyue had already seen everything happening in the courtyard.
Seeing Xu Fan’s reaction, she merely forced a helpless smile, “Xu Fan, I know your master treats you well, and of course you don’t want to believe this. That’s why I didn’t want to bring it up before.”
Looking at Xu Fan, her expression turned a little bitter. She spoke as if it were the truth, “But you need to understand—many things in this world aren’t as beautiful as they seem. Some harsh truths… even the ones involved may have already forgotten.”
To prevent Xu Fan from going back to the sect and digging into the matter, Xianglan added another layer of insurance, “Even if you ask your master now, she probably won’t remember something like this.”
“After all, in her eyes, Uncle Li back then was probably no different than an ant. Something that could be crushed at any moment. Why would she remember him?”
Xu Fan frowned deeply, but Ji Hanyue’s ethereal and elegant figure surfaced in his mind.
Supreme Void Immortal Mountain was a righteous sect, and Ji Hanyue had always been upright and principled. She rarely got into conflicts with other cultivators, let alone harmed innocent people so recklessly.
But Xianglan sounded so certain, which made him hesitate for a moment.
Still, deep down, Xu Fan felt this was likely a misunderstanding. He softly comforted, “Xianglan, my master is truly a good person. She wouldn’t do something like that. Maybe there was more to what happened back then…”
He didn’t believe Xianglan’s words outright, but he also couldn’t verify them, so he chose his words carefully to stay neutral.
Unexpectedly, Xianglan flinched slightly as if triggered, her voice raising with agitation, “I knew you’d defend her!”
“Xu Fan, I’ve long known you have feelings for her. Even now, you’re still covering up for what she did!”
Xu Fan rubbed his temple, a little frustrated. Xianglan was acting completely unreasonable these days, and he said helplessly, “Xianglan, can we not bring this up again? Calm down, okay?” Read this novel at novelping.com for the best experience.
Seeing the troubled look on his face, Xianglan paused and didn’t continue.
Xu Fan thought for a moment, then scratched his head, “No matter what, it’s all in the past. Talking about it now won’t change anything.”
“Whether or not my master did that, it’s long gone. What matters now is how we face the present. Don’t you think?”
His voice was sincere and genuine. There was no pretense. It made Xianglan’s heart tremble, but it also made Ji Hanyue grit her teeth in frustration, scolding him silently for being heartless and wanting to rush out to twist his ear.
Xu Fan didn’t know what Xianglan was thinking. He just knew he wasn’t lying. That truly was how he felt.
The Divine Transformation Realm toxin had altered much of his perception, but not the innate optimism and positivity in his bones.
Xianglan softened when she saw Xu Fan like this. Her plans to slander Ji Hanyue were momentarily pushed aside.
Thinking again about her feelings for Xu Fan, she batted her eyes and moved closer, whispering, “Xu Fan, maybe you’re right… but are you really sure there’s nothing… unusual between you and your master?”
Xu Fan nearly fell off the chair at that stupid question. He looked at her, half annoyed and half amused, “What could there possibly be between me and my master?”
“You’re totally overthinking it!”
Seeing her pout, he couldn’t help but laugh, then lay back on the rocking chair and brushed off a peach blossom petal that had landed on him, “My master has incredible cultivation, amazing looks, a perfect figure—like an immortal. What part of me would she possibly like?”
“You think just because I’ve stayed by her side for almost a hundred years and saved her a few times, she’d suddenly develop feelings for me?”
Xianglan pouted, but at least she got the answer she needed to feel reassured.
Her thoughts began to stir again as she tried to guide him back toward opposing Ji Hanyue, “Xu Fan, you speak so highly of your master… don’t tell me she has no flaws?”
The air behind Xu Fan suddenly distorted. But under the suppression of a Half-God Realm power, his Golden Core Realm cultivation couldn’t sense a thing.
Xu Fan blinked, scratching his head, “Master… doesn’t seem to have any flaws!”
The air behind him calmed completely, without the slightest ripple.
Xianglan grew uneasy again and couldn’t help but challenge, “That’s impossible! Everyone has flaws. I don’t believe your sect master is that perfect!”
Xu Fan blinked again. For some reason, a sudden premonition arose in his heart. He felt answering this rashly might bring misfortune.
So he wisely lay back and said lazily, “At least in my eyes, she has none. And even if she did, I’d never speak ill of her behind her back. If you don’t believe me, go make something up and fool yourself.”
Xianglan: …